Steam trap



Jun e 24, 1930. J. RYAN 1,766,725

STEAM TRAP F Filed April 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jfzn Ryan Patented June 24-, 1930 ATENT QFFlCE JOHN RYAN, QB

ennui/inns, onto STEAM TRAP 'App1ication filed April 26,

g This invention relates to improvements in steam traps and has particular reference to simple and improved automatic mechanism for collecting the condensate from steam gen crating systems and then by simplified and automatic mechanism effecting the return of such condensate to the boiler or other steam generating unit or" the system. The mechanism may also be employed for lifting a body oi? liquid to a higher level or to other points oi disposal.

It is an outstanding object of the invention to provide apparatus 01" this character wherein the use of costly large and compli- (rated mechanism is eliminated and in lieu thereof a small compact, inexpensive and highly eliicient unit is employed to efiect the collection and return of a condensate or liquid to the associated vapor producing apparatus.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a unit for the purposes set forth which may be adapted to any system utilizing heat for vaporizing a liquid and wherein it is desired that the condensate resulting from such vaporization shall be returned automatically to the vapor generator.

F or a further understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawing, wherein: n v

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation ot'the automatic steam trap comprising the present iiii 'ontion,

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional View taken on the plane indicated by the line 22 of Figure 1, V

7 Figure 3 is a similar view on the plane indicated by the line 3 -3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken through the steam actuated plunger mechanism,

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a similar view on the line 66 of Figure 3,

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the valve mechanism of the steam trap in its normally closed position,

Figure 8 is a similar view showing the 1228. Serial no. 273,136.

valve mechanism in an intermediate position,

and

Figure S is a similar view of the valve mechanism in a third position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the numeral 1 designates a tank or container adapted for the reception of a liquid ate received from a vapor line sysi this instance the return line is indica .cd by the numeral 2, and is provided with a check valve 3 which permits of the flow of the liquid in but one direction through the line 2. The line 2 enters a coupling 4 which is in direct communication with the interior of the lower part of the tank 1. It wil be seen that the liquid condensate may flow through the line 2 and the pressure of said condensate will serve to open the valve 8 as to allow the condensate to enter t-h tanl: 1.

As shown more particularly in Figure 3, the condensate receiving chamber within the tank 1 is provided "ith an opening 5 in the top 6 thereof and arranged within this openis a casing '4". Three dedly connected with the lower end of the casing 7 is a collar 8, which carries a plurality of spacech'rigidly depending guide rods 9. Journaled'in connection with the upper portion of the casing 7 is a rock shaft 10 which carries a crank arm 11, the outer end or" the latter being pivotally connected as at 12 with a depending float rod 13. The lower portion of the float rod is provided with a pair of spaced but fixed collars 14, and between these collars and slidably supported on the lower end or" the rod 13 is a float member 15, the latter being also arranged within the rods 9 so as to limit the operating or swinging movement thereof. It will be seen that as the tank 1 fills with water or other condensate, the float member 15, because of its buoyancy, travels longitudinally on the rod 13, and when a predetermined liquid level is reached, within the tank, said float member will engage with one or the other of the collars 1 1 thereby positively rocking the arm 11 and its associated shaft 10. Advantage is taken of this movement to control the operation of automatic valve mechanisms which regulate the entrance of liquid into the tank 1 and also the expulsion of the liquid from the tank.

Carried by one end of the rock shaft 10 and movable in unison with the latter is a pivotally movable weight member 16, this member is of substantially T shaped formation and has the outer end of its longer arm provided with a ball weight 17 the outer end of the shorter arm of said weight member being receivable within links 18. The links 18 are pivotally suspended from the outer ends of a plurality of arms 19-19, which latter are pivotally mounted as at 20 at ends opposite to the links 18 upon brackets 21 which are carried by the casing of a valve 22 and another valve 23.

The valve 22 normally occupies a closed position, as shown in Figures 2 and 7 and is employed to control the flow of steam, or other actuating fluids, through a small pipe line 24, which is connected with a main steam supply line 25, the latter leading from the boiler or other associated apparatus (not shown) with which the steam trap is associated. It will be seen that the line 24 communicates normally with the line 25 and that steam circulation will be limited to the entrance portion of the line 24 normally by reason of the closed position of the valve 22. The pipe line 25 leads to the interior of the tank 1, but steam flow into the tank is normally arrested by the provision of a main control valve 26, which is situated in the pipe line 25 immediately adjacent to the tank 1. This main valve 26 is automatically operated, as will be presently described, to balance the steam pressure on both sides of the body of liquid contained within the tank at the time of and during the discharge of the liquid or condensate from the tank.

It will be seen that when the water level within the tank reaches a predetermined point, the float mechanism is actuated so as to rock the shaft 10, the weight member 16 being so balanced that this could be accomplished by the buoyant effort of the float 15 .11 response to the changing liquid level. When the weight member 16 has been moved slightly past the dynamic position disclosed 1n igure 8, the weight member then operates b avity to efi'ect the oscillation of the arms 19, which latter are balanced by adjustable weights 27 so that the movement of the weight member 16 from its normal position will result in rocking the arms 19 so that the valve 22 will be opened while the valve 23 will be closed, this being simultaneously accomplished by the swinging movement of the weight member.

When the valve 22 has been left open, steam or other actuating fluid, obtained from the line 25, passes through the pipe line 24 and is introduced into the lower compartment of a plunger unit 28. This unit comprises a casing 29, which is mounted upon the top of the tank 1 and the casing includes a cylinder, in which is mounted for sliding movement a piston 30. Connected with the piston is a iston rod 31, the upper portion of which being slidably received within a stufling box 32 carried by the top of the casing 29. A vent 33 is also provided in connection with the upper part of the casing 29 to permit of the free and unobstructed upward movement of the piston in response to the steam pressure developed within the lower part of the casing and below the piston.

The upper end of the rod 31 engages, as shown in Figure 1, with the outer end of a pivoted rod or link 34. This link is pivoted as at 35 upon a bracket 36 which is carried by the main valve 26. Intermediately of its length and adjacent to its pivotal end, the link 34 is pivotally connected with the actuating stem 37 of the valve 26 and also provide on the link is an adjustable weight 39 which counterbalances the link 35 and normally tends to maintain the valve 26 in a closed position. In this manner when the water level within the tank 1 reaches a predetermined point the valve 22 is automatically opened which permits of steam flow into the plunger unit, and this unit in turn operates the main valve 26 so that steam or the like may enter the top of the tank 1 and exert its pressure on the body of liquid contained therein. This permits the steam pressures on the opposite sides of the body of liquid contained within the tank to become balanced, whereby the liquid in the tank may flow by gravity into the boiler by way of the out oing pipe line 40.

The pipe line 40 is provi ed with a control valve 41, whose stem 42 is connected with a pivoted link 43. This link, in turn, is pivotally connected with the lower end of a connecting rod 44, which unites the link 43 with the link 35, so that when the main valve 26 is opened the valve 41 in the pipe line 40 will be likewise open to permit of the flow of the condensate or liquid to the boiler, it being understood that the tank 1 is situated at a higher level than the water inlet portion of the boiler. The check valve 3 is closed during the flow of water through the pipe line 40 to the boiler. In certain constructions the valve 41 may be omitted such as when the tra is being employed to collect a condensate or the urpose of permitting the condensate to 0w by gravity to a hot pool or waste.

After the water level has receded in the tank the float member 15 contacts with the lower collar 14, thereby automatically reversing the positions of the weight member 16 so as to effect the automatic closure of the valves 22, 26 and 41. The valve 23 is opened when this takes place to permit of the escape of the steam entrapped in the pipe line 24 between the valve 22 and the plunger unit 28. To permit of the escape of air within the tank 1 as the liquid level within the latter is rising, the

top of the tank is provided with a vent pipe 45, in which is situated a check valve 46, the pipe 45 terminating in the discharge side of the pipe line 24:. It will be observed that the valve 28 occupies an open position While the water level is rising, and therefore the air in the top of the tank may escape through the vent pipe 45 and the valve 23 to the atmosphere. When steam is flowing, however, to the plunger unit the check valve l6 occupies a seated position.

\Vh en the trap is to be used as a separating trap or for dispelling a body of liquid under pressure to a point where the liquid may flow by gravity, the valve ll may be omitted and the end of the coupling 4 closed by means of a plug member 47 as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1. In this instance, the pipe line 25 is used as an outlet conduit for the liquid and as the liquid under steam or other pressure enters the tank by Way of the pipe line 2, it will be seen that as the liquid level rises Within the tank, the valve 26 will be opened by means of the float mechanism and its associated parts as described heretofore, the liquid will flow through said reservoir by the pipe line 25 until the supply of liquid is exhausted or until the steam or other expelling fluid enters the tank at which time the liquid level and the float will descend, thus shutting the valve 26 in the manner described.

In view of the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it wll be seen that the present invention provides an automatically operating trap for effecting the collection of a condensate within a vapor producing system, together with automatically operating means for returning such a collected condensate to a boiler or other associated unit. The construction of the steam trap permits the latter to occupy minimum area and at the same time provides a positive, efficient design and one wherein pumps and operating motors are rendered unnecessary. I, of course, do not limit myself to the precise details of construction and arrangements of parts above described, but reserve the right to employ such variations and modifications of the disclosure herein made without departing from the sprit of the invention or the scope of the latter as defined in the following claims.

Vfhat is claimed is:

1. In apparatus of the character set forth, a condensate receiving reservoir provided with a condensate inlet and outlet, a conduit adapted to contain a fluid under pressure communicating with said reservoir, a main control valve in said conduit, said valve being normally closed to prevent the pressure fluid from entering said reservoir, a pressure actuated plunger, a pipe line between said conduit and said plunger, an exhaust line for said plunger, valves in said lines, the Valve in the first mentioned line being normally closed and the valve in the exhaust line normally open, weighted arms for closing said valves, a float operated mechanism mounted in said reservoir, an oscillatory weighted arm pivotally mounted between said valves of the two lines and connected with said float mechansm, a lostmotion connectionbetween said weighted arms and said oscillatory arm, the movement of said last mentioned arm being applied to effect the opening and closing of said valves in said lines, whereby the pressure fluid may be transferred from said conduit to said plunger while the valve in said exhaust line is held closed, and motion transmitting devices actuated by the movement of said plunger to eflect the opening and closing of said main valve.

2. Inapparatus of the character set forth, a condensate receiving reservoir provided with a condensate inlet and outlet, a conduit in communication with a vapor generator and also in communication with the upper portion of said reservoir, a main control valve in said conduit, said valve being normally closed to prevent the pressure fluid from entering said reservoir, a pressure actuated plunger, a pipe line between said conduit and said plunger, an exhaust line for said plunger, valves in said lines, the valve in the first mentioned line being normally closed and the valve in the exhaust line normally open, weighted arms for closing said valves, a float operated mechanism mounted in said reservoir, an oscillatory weighted arm pivotally mounted between said valves of the two lines and connected with said float mechanism, slotted link connections at the free ends of said weighted arms connecting said oscillatory arm, the movement of said last mentioned arm being applied to effect the opening and closing of said valves in said lines, whereby the pressure fluid may be transferred from said conduit to said plunger and simultaneously close the valve in said exhaust line, a vent pipe between said reservoir and said exhaust line, and motion transmitting devices actuated by the movement of said plunger to effect the opening and closing of said main valve.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOHN RYAN. 

